Steve Shunpike/Ministry report
Summary of key perspectives and outcomes declared and agreed at the twelve interdepartmental meetings held with reference to case file VB98213/19 between 08/04/06 and 22/05/12, and appending a codicil subsequent to his arrival at Hogwarts - Department heads' eyes only This digest contains those statements and testimonies which informed the Ministry's decisions in the matter of S Shunpike (98/2) between the initial ADB (OOC: All-Departments Bulletin) issued by IUM (OOC: Improper Use of Magic Office) duty Monitor Herbert Stunad at 14.19 on 07/04/08 and the Minister's signature of the special dispensation with regard to the teaching aids which were to remain in Mr. Shunpike's custody, notarised and filed 09.22 23/05/14 (file ref. VB98213/19/458) Auror Stunad, seconded to IUM while under medical review at Enforcement, put out the aforementioned ADB on the basis of a MAGENTA coded initial reading from the UE (OOC:Unexplained Event) which Ministry scryers at the MLO (OOC: Muggle Liaison Office) were able to confirm but not pinpoints in a sector some 2.5 miles WSW of Godalming, Surrey. The magenta coding indicated single to multiple directly life-threatening magics at work, and thus an entire squad from DMLE (OOC: Department of Magical Law Enforcement) was despatched immediately, arriving on scene only 19 minutes after the initial alert. There were at the time no known active Wizarding bloodlines within 12.8 miles of the UE grid. When the Shunpike family was reported to be in residence on a farm within the grid, they were the immediate choice for a starting point in the squad's recce. However, before a serious sweep could commence, Auror Zabini, who was number two on the mission and doing surveillance, spotted a mild tremor (about 2.3 Richter), rapidly confirmed by scryers, and directed the squad to the emergent Mr. Shunpike. Low-lying cloud cover, however, had impeded Auror Zabini's view, and upon arrival the squad were taken aback by the simple size of the crevasse created. Given the family's registered Squib status, Auror Micklewhite, as the ranking Ministry employee on site, decided to use her discretion and perform a general mindwipe of 45-minute duration on Mr. Shunpike, while details were ascertained and the extent of events uncovered. Much to Micklewhite's shock, the Obliviate, though an NV, rebounded (see Healer Smythwick's report 07/04/06, St. Mungo's for details), and Auror Zabini, seeing his superior go down and presuming an attack from concealed enemy forces, issued an immediate Code Red and wands free. Fortunately, the majority of squad members had considerable experience (Agent Henshaw's personal report 517/3892 is available), and although wands were drawn as per regs, no immediate assault was mounted, and Henshaw was able to employ a Healer probe to determine that, in fact, Mr. Shunpike was sheathed in a Petrificus Totalus field which precluded changes to his medical state. This, obviously, was inconsistent and incompatible with any movement upon his part, but is universally attested to by all squad members present and conscious, including confirmation by means of Legilimency. The sheath dissipated some 8 minutes after the squad arrived, and Mr. Shunpike collapsed instantly, exhausted by all appearances. Having arranged for St. Mungo's staff to collect Micklewhite, Zabini proceeded to the Shunpike farmhouse, and there found the family, consisting of David (69/4), Sharon, a Muggle (nee Braithwate), Sarah (96/9), and Jane (00/1), involved in a variety of pursuits. Posing as Muggle police officers, as per Ministry guidelines, Zabini and Henshaw ascertained that Mr. Shunpike was indeed Steve Shunpike (98/2), and obtained, via NV Legilimency on Henshaw's part, a complete biography. Auror Davies, meanwhile, had remained with the emergent Mr. Shunpike, along with Aurors Patel and Wenson, and was, in his own words, stunned to see Mr Shunpike pull himself to his feet only some 45 seconds after his collapse, and set off in the direction of the farmhouse. Lacking precise instructions, and mindful of the previous backfire, the three Aurors proceeded to tail Mr. Shunpike, wands ready, but were once more caught somewhat off-guard when he proceeded, not to the farmhouse, but rather to the barn. The St. Mungo's response squad having by this juncture (14.57) arrived on scene, Assistant Healer Richards' services were sought by the squad, and she proceeded with them into the barn. The unit found Mr. Shunpike, apparently utterly collapsed this time, on a small section of scorched earth, with hay residue. Their combined skills determined that he had, in some unknown manner, transferred both the pain and the memory of his ordeal to a small pile of hay, thereby incinerating it. Guided by AH Richards, Auror Patel performed an assisted intrusion into Mr. Shunpike's mind and, finding absolutely no recollection of any event in the preceding 83 minutes, proceeded to "patch" his memory with a sketchy, emotionally coloured account of his descent into a subsidence on the property and subsequent, magic-assisted escape. Aurors Zabini and Henshaw, in the meantime, had determined the absolute Squib status of all other family members, and had performed subtle memory modifications to avoid untoward and unhealthy levels of inquiry on their parts. This left the squad with the matter of the still unconscious Mr. Shunpike. In consultation with AH Richards, it was decided to transfer him to St. Mungo's for observation. The family were once more the subjects of memory modification, this time to the effect that Stan had been invited for a holiday by a distant but trusted relative, and would return in approximately a fortnight. The relative lived in the Scottish Highlands, out of reach by telephone generally, but Stan would be sending regular letters. Auror Wenson, somewhat sadly, saw fit to include Mr. Shunpike himself in the distribution of this last, which explains his compulsive need to send Owls thrice-weekly to his family, and his atypical degree of homesickness when separated from his siblings. The entire incident was reported contained at 15.44. (The remainder cannot be alluded to or discussed with any who have not had direct and legitimate access to this file) AH Richards continued to supervise his care at St. Mungo's and her detailed report (VB98213/19/009-22) may be consulted for specifics. The immensely relevant fact was the ongoing cerebral activity, despite the other symptoms of what Muggle medicine categorises as a coma. The term cerebral activity, is, in fact, inadequate, since Mr. Shunpike's unconscious mind demonstrated considerable telekinetic capabilities, causing damage to his private room on multiple occasions. Healer Smythwick took charge of the case, and certain dietary elements were introduced to suppress these tendencies, dietary supplements still administered to Mr. Shunpike by the Ministry teaching tools with which he was provided (during his sleep, and without his knowledge). When he came to at 10.34 on 13/04/06, Mr. Shunpike manifested only the memories implanted by Auror Patel, and displayed comprehensible confusion as to his current circumstances. Ministry genealogists, in the interim, could find nothing to account for Mr. Shunpike's extreme and unusual potential, since all known members of his bloodline back 270 years had shown minimal magical propensities at most, and, in fact, 48.7% were Squibs or registered Non-functionals. It was therefore determined, by the MLE, that Mr. Shunpike should be encouraged to develop his undoubted Muggle potential, in order to fit in with the rest of his family. This case, however, had reached the ears of Minister Shacklebolt himself, who was unwilling to allow the precedent of "such high-handedness on the part of the Ministry" (his exact words in his memo), and so a reappraisal, involving numerous departments was convened. Their first finding was that, as this was not entirely and self-evident a magical matter, a Muggle perspective was also required in order to facilitate a suitably detailed appraisal of the situation, including its known nuances and aberrations. They therefore arranged for a Muggle London psychotherapist, Dr. Daniel Johnson, who had previous peripheral contact with the MoM and was known for his discretion, to interview and report on Mr. Shunpike. Precis of Dr. Johnson's report on subject Steve Shunpike Steve shows none of the classic traits of a middle child - he seems to have absolutely no questions concerning how he fits in, and frequently, doesn't even attempt to do so. He does not appear to feel remotely ignored, has no discernible resentment of any attention received by the other two, nor irritation that, as girls, they are held to a different standard. He loves them, I believe, but at one remove, as it were, mainly in the form of fixtures in his life, rather than as individuals. Steve has no active recollection of the traumatic incident for which he was sent to me, and indeed, probing this area seemed to provoke one of the very few bouts of irritation which he has shown in my presence. He feels, here as elsewhere, that the past is the past, and should only be ALLOWED to USEFULLY inform the present (I'm paraphrasing, but from an eight year-old I find this almost scary). He employs almost exclusively an adult idiolect, but with clearly dictionary derived definitions underpinning it - I doubt, very strongly, whether ANY other member of his family speaks remotely similarly. His own abilities of analysis and deduction are precocious and, again, intimidating - I've actually attended a two week evening course in short-hand, merely so that he stops quoting my own notes back to me as I'm making them. I am careful to employ the word "complex" in our direct interaction, since it appears to be one upon which he feels called to cogitate upon at length, and unravel, but in all honesty, I have no experience nor other patient, and indeed know of no case, against which this one can be constantly and productively measured. With the psychotherapist's report before them, MoM officials arranged an interdepartmental meeting, at which it was decided that, as Mr. Shunpike posed a potential risk to both Muggle and magical communities, he should be sequestered at home, and provided with magical learning tools, which would simultaneously monitor his potential in wizarding matters, and any telekinetic activity, and be programmed and empowered to take any remedial steps the situation might reasonably call for. Indeed, Auror Stunad put in a permanent transfer request, and was assigned as the case officer for Mr. Shunpike, his sole task now the collation and dissemination of materials concerning the young man. Mr. Shunpike has had his memory modified to believe that it is only for the past three years, when he would otherwise have been at Hogwarts, that he has had Ministry materials to teach him, and a Ministry-approved learning plan. It has, in point of fact, rather been six years, although the continual memory adjustments performed by the Ministry's tools have kept that knowledge from him (and implanted false recollections of his years age eight to eleven at the local junior school). However, his overwhelmingly inquisitive nature has had an unexpected by-product, in that the spell Specialis Revelio for some reason "resists" all efforts mechanical and even personal by trained Ministry personnel to remove it from his mind. It is, apparently, there to stay. However scabbed over and deeply buried, certain vestigial recollections appear to remain, and Mr. Shunpike has for the past four years engaged in a cycle of attempted reconstruction of what his memory tells him occurred on that fateful day. Indeed, removing him from the physical location where he could precisely endeavour to reconstruct his "incident" was the original argument for sending him to Hogwarts with every other child at eleven,. although at the time the Minister deemed the potential consequences, if Mr. Shunpike proved emotionally ill-equipped, too disastrous, and advocated a wait-and-see policy. Mr. Shunpike was provided with his pet Niffler at this juncture, and, indeed, appears to derive solace from its surrogate burrowing. The learning tools have naturally performed similar modifications on his family to keep all their recollections consonant, and it was largely this consideration that caused the MLO to push for him now to be sent to Hogwarts, since the repetitive nature of these interferences with natural memory could soon prove permanently harmful to the rest of the Shunpike family. The MLE was opposed, considering Mr. Shunpike an as yet still unquantified potential menace, and it appears that it was former Minister Shacklebolt's personal recommendation which may well have tipped the scales. Key personnel at Hogwarts have been made aware of the essential circumstances, in order to reasonably limit risk, and the dietary supplements supplied by his teaching tools have been redesigned by the Ministry to cause Mr. Shunpike's body to shut down in the event of dangerously elevated adrenal levels, a situation which his psychological programming will lead him to define as narcolepsy. Such an adrenal surge is not anticipated, since, thus far, Mr Shunpike has demonstrated an almost robotic response to those things which should reasonably inspire fear, or lust. There was brief concern expressed that, due to his fearlessness, the Hat might Sort Mr. Shunpike into Gryffindor, where it was possible he would be exposed to unnecessary levels of stimulation in matters of fear, but fortunately this contingency has been averted, with the decision being to make him a Ravenclaw. His utter lack of social skills, however, is proving extremely difficult to mask, and steps may soon have to be taken to rectify this. His learning tools, which have been sent with him to Hogwarts, could potentially be modified to provide a certain "normalisation" in his social skill set, but the AMRS (OOC: Accidental Magic Reversal Squad) has voiced concern over the cumulative consequences of yet more, non-vital, adjustments being made to this young man. The Legal Department has likewise pointed out the ramifications, should elements of this case ever reach the public purview. Generally speaking, with the clear exception of Auror Stunad, this has become a political hot potato that no-one wants anything to do with, although everyone agrees that "something must be done". Mr. Shunpike has shown reduced use of the teaching tools after his move to Hogwarts, although he has often had recourse to the Remembrall in isolation. Indeed, Xylianne Molyneaux was called upon to make repairs to the device at the end of the last (2014) school year. Post Hogwarts, Mr. Shunpike has given the Ministry no further cause for concern. Category:Main characters Category:Harry Potter